# NTSB DCA22LA135: Airbus A330, New York, NY, June 18, 2022

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Class 4 · Limited · Final report
- Date: June 17, 2022, 22:30 local (Jun 18, 2022, 02:30 UTC)
- Place: New York, NY · Taxiway B
- Coordinates: 40.642582, -73.778816
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.6426&lon=-73.7788&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Taxi](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/250) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Defining events: [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200); [Standing-engine(s) shutdown: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200)
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class: Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- NTSB case key (mKey): 105317
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA22LA135
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/105317/pdf
- NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105317
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA22LA135

## Probable cause (aircraft 1)

The ITA Airways flightcrew’s misperception of the distance to maintain separation and safely pass the stopped Air France airplane.

## Findings

NTSB's coded findings; those marked are part of the probable cause.

- [Perception/orientation/illusion: situational awareness](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035): Personnel issues › Psychological · Flight crew, aircraft 1; cases with it: [All aircraft, 111 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02022035/cases.md)
- [Action: incomplete action](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040): Personnel issues › Action/decision · Flight crew, aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 105 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-findings/02041040/cases.md)

## Sequence of events

The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event best describes what happened.

- [Taxi-to runway: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 1; cases with it: [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)
- [Standing-engine(s) shutdown: Ground collision](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200) (defining event), aircraft 2; cases with it: [All aircraft, 618 cases](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-events/200/sequence.md)

## Analysis (aircraft 1)

The flight crew of F-GSPQ, an Air France B777-200ER, operating as Air France flight 008, had stopped with the parking brake set while waiting for the gate personnel to finish preparing gate 9 to receive their flight at Terminal 1, at John F. Kennedy International Airport (KJFK), when their airplane was struck by an ITA Airways A330-202 that was taxiing past. The Boeing 777 airplane received substantial damage to the right-hand elevator. The Airbus airplane only received scratches on the left winglet. The Air France crew said that their company procedure to enter gate 9 is to stop and wait for a tow. There were no ground marshalling crew present when they arrived, so they stopped, shut down the engines, and waited about 10 to 15 minutes for a tow to arrive. About the time the tug arrived, the crew said they felt the airplane move due to a “hard connection”, but they were unaware of an airplane passing behind at that time. After the airplane was parked at the gate and passengers had disembarked, maintenance informed the flight crew of damage to the elevator, and it was determined to be from the ITA Airways A330 that had passed behind. The Air France flight crew said they tried to contact the Air Traffic Control Tower to stop the ITA Airways flight, but the conversation was lengthy, and the ITA Airways flight 611 took off without receiving timely notification of the collision. The ITA Airways crew said they noted an Air France Boeing 777 entering at gate 9, a safe distance away, where it stopped awaiting a tow to parking. The ITA Airways crew further stated that after engine start, they were cleared to taxi via Taxiway N, Taxiway B, Taxiway G, cross runway 22L, and via taxiway Z to join the queue for takeoff on runway 31L. They said that during the taxi at no time was there any indication that they had impacted an airplane. After takeoff, while climbing out at 3,000 feet, the ITA Airways crew received a radio call from JFK Tower asking if they had impacted an airplane, and if they had any damage. The crew said they then conducted visual, and systems checks, and checked with the cabin crew. No abnormalities were observed. Upon reaching FL300 the ITA Airways flight crew said they received a second radio call from Air Traffic Control. After contacting their company, and having ruled out any problems with the airplane, a decision was made for the ITA Airways flight to continue to Leonardo Da Vinci International Airport (FCO). After an uneventful flight and landing, an inspection revealed a longitudinal abrasion throughout its length on the upper part of the left winglet consistent with the winglet contacting an object.

## Aircraft 1

- Registration: EI-EJL (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: AIRBUS A330 (202)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 1283
- Airframe hours: 41029
- Engines: General Electric CF6-80E turbo fan; General Electric CF6-80E turbo fan
- Damage: Minor damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Operator: ITALIA TRASPORTO AEREO SPA(ITA Airways)
- Registered owner: Alc Blarney Aircraft Ltd
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, June 17, 2022
- Departed: KJFK, new York, NY
- Destination: LIRF, Fiumicino, OF
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: KJFK, John F kennedy International

## Aircraft 2

- Registration: F-GSPQ (not matched to a registry record)
- Reported make and model: BOEING 777 (200ER)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 28682
- Year built: 2001
- Engines: General Electric GE90-94B 94000 lbs thrust turbo fan; General Electric GE90-94B 94000 lbs thrust turbo fan
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Part 129
- Operator: Air France
- Registered owner: Air France
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Transport
- Departed: LFPG, Paris, OF
- Destination: Same as departure
- Flight plan: VFR/IFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot, aircraft 1; age 57; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, with waivers/limitations; last flight review June 1, 2022; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 21,700 total, 2,500 in this make and model, 15,200 as pilot in command, 168 in the last 90 days, 95 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours
- Co-pilot, aircraft 1; age 53; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; last flight review May 30, 2022; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 10,927 total, 35 in this make and model, 84 in the last 90 days, 35 in the last 30 days, 9 in the last 24 hours
- Pilot, aircraft 2; age 59; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: left; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,274 total, 781 in this make and model
- Co-pilot, aircraft 2; age 61; injuries: none; airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, without waivers/limitations; seat: right; restraint: 5-point; flight hours: 13,406 total, 2,429 in this make and model

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Night
- Wind: 330° at 12 knots
- Observed at: KJFK

## Docket (6 files)

The files NTSB released with the investigation on April 20, 2023, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=105317. 158 MB in all.

- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 for ita airways A330 (item 1, PDF, 11 pages, 824 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14401015&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA20LA135%20AZ611%2017Jun22%20JFC-FCO%20GColl%206120%20ANSV%20of%20Italy_Redacted-Rel.pdf
- Pilot/operator aircraft accident report, NTSB form 6120.1 (item 2, PDF, 11 pages, 478 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=14401081&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=DCA20LA135%20NTSB%20FORM%206120.1%20Air%20france_redacted-Rel.pdf
- Photos no. 1 - ita airways A330 LH wingtip damage. (item 3, PDF, 1 page, 551 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15365010&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fig%201.%20ITA%20Airways%20A330%20LH%20wingtip%20damage.%20Source-%20ITA%20Airways-Rel.pdf
- Photo 2 - fig 2. Air france RH elevator damage. Source-air france (item 4, PDF, 1 page, 48 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15364372&FileExtension=pdf&FileName=Fig%202.%20Air%20France%20RH%20elevator%20damage.%20Source-Air%20France.-Rel.pdf
- Video file - jfk ground control (item 5, WAV, 131 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15492810&FileExtension=wav&FileName=JFK%20-%20Ground%20Control%20-%206-18-22%200124-0231Z-Rel.wav
- Video file - jfk local control (item 6, WAV, 25.4 MB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=15496240&FileExtension=wav&FileName=JFK%20-%20Local%20Control%20-%206-18-22%200220-0233Z-Rel.wav

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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